Blast kills two policemen near Peshawar

Patrol was inspecting a checkpoint bombed earlier during the day.

PESHAWAR:

Two policemen were killed and two others injured when a remote-controlled device targeted a police vehicle, some 10 kilometers north of Peshawar, on Tuesday.

The attack occurred on Warsak Road, which is close to the border with Mohmand Agency. Suspected militants detonated remote-controlled explosives hidden under a bridge, a police official at the Mathra Police Station toldThe Express Tribune.

The official said that a police official, Sub-Inspector Rasual Shah, was killed on the spot and three others were injured. The official said the patrolling in the area was to check a police post in Hajiano village, which was bombed earlier on Tuesday. The police van was destroyed in the attack.

The injured were rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital, where one of the injured policemen, Faiz Mohammad, died.

The police official said that earlier during the day, militants used a timed device to attack a police security post. The post had been attacked once before, but was not damaged.

The funeral prayers for the slain cop, Rasul Shah, were offered at the Police Lines and were attended by senior police officials.

Talking to reporters, City Police Chief Liaqat Ali Khan termed the attacks a reaction to the ongoing military operation against Taliban in Mohmand Agency. He said that the militants have changed their strategy and are ambushing police.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2011.